ST. LOUIS — An abandoned home caught fire in The Grove neighborhood Wednesday. Firefighters say they're not sure how it started, but people who live in the area have their suspicions following vagrancy and suspicious behavior in recent months.
Fire investigators were met with a couple of challenges when they went to put out the fire.
It started around 10 a.m. on the 4400 block of Norfolk Avenue. When firefighters got there, they weren't able to go in.
"The crews were advised that this particular building had a high probability of collapse,” Captain Garon Mosby said.
They made their plan of attack from outside. Crews were able to put out the fire, but four hours later, another fire started at another abandoned home two doors down.
"We believe that possibly an ember may have drifted down from the first fire and landed on the roof because we had a small fire in the roof in that vacant building,” Mosby added.
They're not so sure what led to it.
"A lot of times when it's cold outside, you think a warming fire. It's pretty nice today but then there's always cooking,” he added.
"What do you think was happening inside?” 5 On Your Side asked a woman who lives nearby who asked not to be identified.
“We think people were cooking meth in there and distributing out of there. People kept trekking back and forth,” she responded. "We’ve seen people coming and going since the wintertime. We contacted city officials and police trying to alert people that people are coming in and out. They always seemed high and they're hanging over dumpsters."
That’s not all.
"Our propane tanks were stolen in the winter and we found bleach bottles everywhere," she said. "We've kind of been expecting this. That's disappointing and upsetting, especially in a neighborhood that we are seeing grow and we want to see continue to grow and encourage local businesses and a community here. I wish people would be more responsive when concerned neighbors are reaching out."
No one was hurt in the fires. The cause is deemed undetermined.
